04-17-2025, 06:16 PM
Nikolas Krutin, founder of Typhoon Roaster and seasoned roaster, shares a range of informative pieces that delve into the complexities of coffee, ranging from bean varieties and roasting techniques to brewing methods and common misconceptions. This comprehensive summary synthesizes the key points from his writings, creating a seamless view of the coffee journey.
Exploring Coffee Bean Varieties
Krutin https://medium.com/@NikolasKrutin emphasizes that coffee beans are not just agricultural products, but seeds of the coffee cherry, each reflecting its own journey defined by its growing region. Arabica beans, grown at high altitudes with cooler temperatures, exhibit refined taste notes with delicate fruit and flower-like aromas because they ripen more slowly. In contrast, Robusta beans thrive in lower, hotter regions, resulting in a stronger, more bitter taste with greater stimulant properties. He also draws attention to lesser-known varieties like Geisha, famous for elegance and citrusy clarity, and Liberica, which offers an unusual smoky aftertaste.
The Impact of Roasting
The act of roasting significantly impacts the flavor, aroma, and caffeine content of coffee. Light roasts are characterized by their light brown color and retain the original flavors of the bean, often showing citrus, fruit, and flower-like qualities. Medium roasts offer harmony between sharpness and mouthfeel, bringing out nutty sweetness and toffee richness. Dark roasts, with their deeply roasted appearance and oily surface, impart robust, toasted characteristics with chocolatey or toasted notes. Krutin debunks the myth about caffeine content, noting that while light and dark roasts have nearly equal caffeine amounts by mass, the shifts in weight-to-volume ratio may impact how much caffeine ends up in your cup.
Crafting the Perfect Roast
Roasting converts raw coffee into roasted magic into the aromatic beans we brew. Krutin outlines the stages of roasting, commencing with water content reduction, where moisture is slowly drawn out. This is followed by the Maillard reaction, where sugars and amino acids interact, developing the bean's color and aroma. The process includes the "first crack", indicating that essential roasting profiles are forming, and can proceed to a "second crack" for stronger profiles. He compares roasting styles, including old-school and contemporary thermal methods, noting the critical role of timing and heat to avoid flavor defects.
Brewing Insights and Common Misconceptions
Tackling popular concerns, Krutin explains that putting a lid on freshly brewed coffee can trap volatile compounds, potentially changing the way it tastes. He also clarifies that while espresso beans and regular coffee beans come from the same plant, the difference is rooted in the way they’re roasted and ground, with espresso beans roasted longer and milled for pressure-based brewing.
This wide-ranging analysis by Krutin on the subject of coffee—from source to cup—provides valuable insights for both curious beginners and dedicated aficionados. His focus on appreciating the details highlights the skill behind every cup in making great coffee.
Exploring Coffee Bean Varieties
Krutin https://medium.com/@NikolasKrutin emphasizes that coffee beans are not just agricultural products, but seeds of the coffee cherry, each reflecting its own journey defined by its growing region. Arabica beans, grown at high altitudes with cooler temperatures, exhibit refined taste notes with delicate fruit and flower-like aromas because they ripen more slowly. In contrast, Robusta beans thrive in lower, hotter regions, resulting in a stronger, more bitter taste with greater stimulant properties. He also draws attention to lesser-known varieties like Geisha, famous for elegance and citrusy clarity, and Liberica, which offers an unusual smoky aftertaste.
The Impact of Roasting
The act of roasting significantly impacts the flavor, aroma, and caffeine content of coffee. Light roasts are characterized by their light brown color and retain the original flavors of the bean, often showing citrus, fruit, and flower-like qualities. Medium roasts offer harmony between sharpness and mouthfeel, bringing out nutty sweetness and toffee richness. Dark roasts, with their deeply roasted appearance and oily surface, impart robust, toasted characteristics with chocolatey or toasted notes. Krutin debunks the myth about caffeine content, noting that while light and dark roasts have nearly equal caffeine amounts by mass, the shifts in weight-to-volume ratio may impact how much caffeine ends up in your cup.
Crafting the Perfect Roast
Roasting converts raw coffee into roasted magic into the aromatic beans we brew. Krutin outlines the stages of roasting, commencing with water content reduction, where moisture is slowly drawn out. This is followed by the Maillard reaction, where sugars and amino acids interact, developing the bean's color and aroma. The process includes the "first crack", indicating that essential roasting profiles are forming, and can proceed to a "second crack" for stronger profiles. He compares roasting styles, including old-school and contemporary thermal methods, noting the critical role of timing and heat to avoid flavor defects.
Brewing Insights and Common Misconceptions
Tackling popular concerns, Krutin explains that putting a lid on freshly brewed coffee can trap volatile compounds, potentially changing the way it tastes. He also clarifies that while espresso beans and regular coffee beans come from the same plant, the difference is rooted in the way they’re roasted and ground, with espresso beans roasted longer and milled for pressure-based brewing.
This wide-ranging analysis by Krutin on the subject of coffee—from source to cup—provides valuable insights for both curious beginners and dedicated aficionados. His focus on appreciating the details highlights the skill behind every cup in making great coffee.